Compare towns

Canton vs Unity

Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Maine.

What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the oldest population (median age 41.4).
Unity has the shortest commute (21 min average).
Unity is a college town. 30% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

MeasureCantonUnity
People
Population
1,191Lowest
1,858Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census
+13.6%Highest
ME: +2.6%
+9.2%Lowest
ME: +2.6%
Median age
41.4±7.2Highest
8% below ME
27.5±2.2Lowest
39% below ME
Kids under 18
20.4%±4.6Highest
ME: 18.1%
14%±3.6Lowest
ME: 18.1%
Canton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+
27.7%±6.6Highest
ME: 22.4%
11.8%±3Lowest
ME: 22.4%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+
23.7%Highest
ME: 36.2%
22.1%Lowest
ME: 36.2%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
2.4%±2.5Lowest
ME: 5.8%
30%±4.3Highest
ME: 5.8%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$52,458±$35kLowest
30% below ME
$62,857±$6kHighest
16% below ME
Unity and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$165,000±$50kLowest
44% below ME
$206,900±$28kHighest
30% below ME
Unity and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$485±$18Lowest
57% below ME
$873±$73Highest
23% below ME
Property taxmedian, yearly
$2,277Lowest
25% below ME
$2,510Highest
17% below ME
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
88.9%±33.8Highest
ME: 48.4%
44.8%±13Lowest
ME: 48.4%
Canton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line
8.4%Lowest
ME: 10.7%
17.3%Highest
ME: 10.7%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
81.4%Highest
ME: 74.3%
72.3%Lowest
ME: 74.3%
Typical home builtmedian year
1975Lowest
2 yrs older than ME
1983Highest
6 yrs newer than ME
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
35 minHighest
42% above ME
21 minLowest
14% below ME
Work from home
16.1%±6.4Highest
ME: 15.9%
15.8%±7.6Lowest
ME: 15.9%
Canton and Unity are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
School district — RSU 03/MSAD 03 · Ecology Learning Center
High school in town — Ecology Learning Ctr
Students per teacherat that high school —
12.4
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History None yet None yet

ME average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.